Improvement in means for adjusting car-wheels to different gauges



W. B. SNOW.

Adjustable Car Wheels.

Patented Aug. 23, 1870.

' Mad mPiTifls, PNOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. o. c.

atwt ,Gtjifiire.

WILLIAM B. SNOW, OF NEW YORK, N; .Y.

Letters Patent No. 106,737, dated August 23, 1870.

,o-.- IMPROVEMENT IN MEANS FOR ADJUSTING CAR-WHEELS TO DIFI'ilREl-YTGAUGES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Ptent and making part of thesame To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. Snow, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement'in Means for Adjusting the Wheels of Railroad-Oars or Trucksto Difier-' ent- Ganges or Widthsof' Rail and I do herehydeclare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being bad to the accompanying drawing forming part of thisspecification,'and in which- Figure 1 represents an exterior side viewof a railroad-car wheel as secured on its axle, and mounted on a rail,in illustration of my improvement:

Figure 2, a verticalv section of the same, taken in direction of thelength of the axle; and

Figure 3, a longitudinal view of one end or portion of the axle detachedfrom the wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Adjustable-gauge wheels for railroad-cars, to adapt them to difl'ercntgauges or widthsof rail, have been variously constructed. Thus, incertain devices for changing gauge, sliding or reversible and loose keyshave been used, and in other devices grooves have been cut around theaxle, according to the number of changes necessary to be madc and thewheels suitably constructedto establish lock with said grooves. Loosekeys are, in many respects, objectionable, and. grooves cutaround theaxle destroy the strength of the outside fiber, and weaken the axle.

My invention removes these objections, and consists in a. key or feathershrunk or inserted, in 'a fixed uranner, within the axle, indir'ectiorl'ot' its length, andclose, but sliding or adjustable manner,the axle B of 1 the ca'r or truck, and having a key-way in or throughdescribed.

its hub, for the. purpose of securing its fit over or along a fixedsteel feather or key, 0, inserted within the axle, and which ispreferably secured therein by the wheel.

These locking-attachments may consist oi a loose band, D, arranged tofreely fit the axle at either end 'of the hub of-theYwheel, and,ofa'thickness or'width that will enable them to enter the notches, b,in y the key, so that, on adjusting them along the axle, and withineither pair ot' notches on opposite sides of the interposed wheel, andpassing a bolt, 0, through themaud the whcehlthc latter is held in itsrequired posi tion on the axle, according to the gauge previouslydetermined for it.

' To give a close fit of these bands on the axle, and I to relieve theboltc of strain, said bands are each. formed with a key-way, d, in them,to facilitate their being slid along the key 0 when varying or adjustingthe wheelon the axle, and so that, on turning said hands after they havebeen brought opposite the proper notches, b, in the key, they have abearing secured to them, both against the bottoms of the notches in thekey, and on the opposite side of the axle.

By using a fixed steel feather or key, notched as described, for makingthe adjustment of the wheel on the axle, the latter is not weakened asby cutting grooves in it to provide for the locking of the wheel.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is--'1. The fixed feather or kcy,-0, in the axle B, formed with notches, b,for locking-attachrncnts connected with the wheel to bite into or gearwith, substantially as and for. the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination of the bands 1) and bolt 0, ar-

ranged to pass through the wheel, with the notched fixed key, G,in'-t-he axle B, essentially as shown and W. B. SNOW.

Witnesses:

FRED. HAYNES,

It. E. RABEAU.

